Bookcase.



H( CARRE.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC. Il. 1917- l I Patented Sept. 3, 1918.`

M M j HENRY BEACH CARR, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BOOKCASE.

nav/asta.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Application filed December 17, 1917. Serial N o. 207,549.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it knownthat I, HENRY BEACH CARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Bookcase, of which the following is a specification. i

By way of explanation, it may be stated that, as is a matter of common knowledge, the books on the shelves of a library frequently become misplaced, notwithstanding the expenditure of considerable care in replacing them. Further, the books upon Va shelf tend to tilt laterally, thereby straining and breaking the bindings, and entailing considerable expense in connection with the upkeep of a library. In view of the foregoing, the invention aims to provide means whereby the place of a book on a shelf will be clearly indicated, and whereby expenses incident Vto the repair of broken bindings will be reduced.

Another object of the invention is to'provide a novel form of place-marker and `booksupport, equipped .with novel means forV holding it in an upright position. The invention *aims to provide novel means whereby when a plurality of booksupports are used, a minimum amount of space will be taken up by thebook-supports, longitudinally of the shelf.

It is within theprovince of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of, devices of that type to.which,the present invention appertains. But one rform of the invention is shown, and changessuch as might be madeby a mechanic, may be resorted to, within the scope of what is claimed, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows theinvention in front elevation, parts beingbrokenfaway;`

Fig. 2 isa transverse verticalsection;

Fig. 3 is a perspective disclosing one of the combined place-markers or book-sup'- ports;

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing one of the supports for the ends of. the rod which carries the place-markers; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, there is shown a portion of a book case comprising stiles 1 and a shelf 2. Sockets 3 are provided, the sockets being closed at their outer ends, as shown at standing 4. The sockets may be carried by legs 5 provided with laterally extended feet 6 having openings 7 adapted to receive securing elements 8V whereby the feet are attached to the shelf 2, the feet 6 and the sockets 3 projecting in opposite directions, so that, for a purpose to be alluded to hereinafter, the sockets may be disposed directly in front of the stiles 1. The ends of a rod 9 are mounted in the sockets 3, the rod being provided upon its rear side with a longitudinal groove 10. The sockets 3 are supplied with internal longitudinal ribs 11 received in the oove 10, the construction being such that t e rod cannot rotate in the sockets.

The invention comprises a plurality of place-markers or' book-supports 12, each including a plate 14. Upon one edge of the plate 14there is a rearwardly extended arm 15, and upon the opposite edge of the plate there is a rearwardly extended arm 16, the arms 15 and 16 being spaced longitudinally of the plate 12, for a purpose which willbe made manifest hereinafter. The lower end of the plate 14 is flexed rearwardly and vupwardly to form a resilient tongue 17 constituting a part of a socket 18. The socket 1'8 surrounds the rod 9, and forms a pivotal mounting for the plate 14, so that the plate may be swung on the rod in a vertical plane. In order to hold the plate 14 in an upposition,` a transverse rib 19 is fashioned in the tongue 17, the rib being seatedl removably in the groove 10 of the rod 9.

The plates 14 are of different widths, de-

pending upon the thickness of the book 24 wherewith any plate is used. The titles on the books are Vshown at 25 and are duplicated, as indicated at 23, on labels or cards 21 which carry, also, suitable cataloguing indicia shown at 22. The labels 21 may be attached to the plates 14 in any suitable way. In the present instance, tongues 2O are struck from the plates 14, the labels being slidably received beneath the tongues.

In practical operation, when a book 24 is on the shelf 2, the book is received between the arms 15 and 16 of the plate 14, the plate standing in an upright position, and being held by the engagement between the rib 19 and the groove 10 in the rod 9. No cataloguing labels are placed upon the books, the labels, shown at 21 being mounted on the plates 14. Owing to this feature, the books are not disiigured, it being neces;-

as shown at the left end of Fig. 1.

sary, merely, to place the catalogue number on the inner surface of the cover of the book, or elsewhere. lli'en it is desired to remove a book, the plate 141 is swung forwardly into horizontal position, the eye 18v rotating on the rod 9, and the rib 19 automatically disengaging itself from the groove 10 in the rod. Theeye 18 is resilient and grips the rod 9 with sufficient force sothat the plate 14twill stand at any angle to which it may have been turned. After the book has been removedfrom the shelf, the plate 14 may be turned up into a vertical position so asto indicate the place to which the book is to be returned. The plates 14E are relatively short, las compared withthe height of the books, the titles 25 of the books remaining unobscured, so that it is possible to compare the title 25 on the ,book with the title` 23 on the label 21 at any time. lVhen it is desired to take stock,

this can be done readily and rapidly, a

glance at vany place-marker 12 serving to show whether or not the book is on the shelf.

The place-markers 12 may be slid longitudinally of the rod 9, and because the sockets 3 are located directly in front'of the stiles 1, no space is lost at either end of the shelf, it being possible to dispose the terminal members 12in direct contact with stiles 1, The arms 5 space the sockets 3, and consequently the rod 9, from the forward edge Aof the shelf 2, so that the tongues 17 may be received between the rod 9 and the forward edge of the shelf 2. Since the tongues 17 extend upwardly and rearwardly, there are no objectionable projections. on the plates 14C at the lower ends thereof. There is an advantage in spacing the arms 15 and 16 longitudinally of the plate 14: since, when the members 12 are in upright positions,-the arm 15 on one member 12 will be disposed Adirectly above therarm 16 on the next member 12. Consequently, two adjoining members 12 will be spaced apart by adistance equal to the thickness of a single arm 15er 16,` and` not by a distance equal to thecombined thicknesses of the arms. The members 12 maybe detached from the rod 9 by springing the sockets 18 off the rod, the rc- Copesof this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by `addressng the (lonnnissionerV of Patents, i

port including a resilient tongue extended around the rod to form an eye whereby the marker is mounted on theirod for swinging movement, the'tongueand the-rod having releasably interengaged. rib and groove elements coacting to hold the `marker against swinging movement on the rod.

2. The combination .with a book-shelf, of a rod extended along, theedge thereof, and combined place-markers and book-supports `mounted on the rod for swinging movement,

the markers having rearwardly extended arms upon their longitudinal edges, the armsvupon each marker being disposed at different distancesfrom the rod, whereby an arm on one marker may bedisposed directly below an arm on an adjoining marker,

thereby to separate the markersby a distance represented by the Ythickness of one arm.`

3. The combination with .a book case comprising a shelf, of a rod extended along the edge of theshelf; a combined place-marker and book-support.mounted to `swing on the rod, the marker and the .rod having releasably interengaged parts coacting `to hold the marker against swinging movement; and Ameans carriedbyY the `book .case for Asupportingthe rod, said means. including an elementengaged with said :part of the `rod to hold the rod against rotation.

In testimony `that lI claim the `foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY BEACH CARR. Witnesses:

IVYE. SIMPSON, MASON B. LAw'roN.

Washington, D.. C. 

